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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25847053">Dear Distance</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/hermanthejanitor/pseuds/hermanthejanitor'>hermanthejanitor</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Stay Close to Me University AU [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Merlin (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Boys In Love, Established Relationship, Fluff, Kissing, M/M, Mentions of alcohol, More Fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 05:21:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,274</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25847053</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/hermanthejanitor/pseuds/hermanthejanitor</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur turns up at Merlin’s door ostensibly horny and chock full of emotions he has no intention of discussing. Of course, Merlin isn’t about to let him get away with that.</p>
<p>Cue lots of fluff.</p>
<p>Note: This follows on from Stay Close to Me but does work as a standalone.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Stay Close to Me University AU [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1875517</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>199</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Dear Distance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Huge thank you to everyone and anyone who read Stay Close to Me, and even bigger thank you for the wonderful comments, they made my day! </p>
<p>Here is a bit of fluff set in Merlin and Arthur's second year of University, I have a few more like this lined up so please let me know what you think.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Arthur: I’m omw to yours.</p>
<p>Merlin: Okayyy. I mean, that’s great, but weren’t you going out with the mma lot?</p>
<p>Arthur: Got bored. Ten minutes away.</p>
<p>Merlin: Aw, was it not fun? :(</p>
<p>Arthur: It was fine. I want to fuck you.</p>
<p>Merlin: Arthur!!! What the hell?! I just spat juice all over my laptop!!!</p>
<p>Arthur: Don’t care. I’m so horny rn.</p>
<p>Merlin: You drank tequila didn’t you? Tequila makes you ridiculously randy</p>
<p>Arthur: No, I just want to fuck my boyfriend until neither of us can stand.</p>
<p>Merlin: Well, when you put it like that…</p>
<p>Arthur: Good.</p>
<p>Merlin: God, you’re in full caveman mode</p>
<p>Arthur: You have no idea ;)</p>
<p>Merlin: Fuck.</p>
<p>Arthur: Now you’re getting it.</p>
<p>Arthur: &lt;3&lt;3&lt;3&lt;3&lt;3&lt;3</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Arthur was opening the door almost before the uber had come to a complete stop. The driver said something but Arthur only waved, hopefully covering acknowledgement and apology in one movement.</p>
<p>Arthur took the three steps leading to Merlin’s front door in a single bound, unrepentantly leaning against the doorbell for a full five seconds. While he waited he gave the street a cursory once over. There was no one in sight, the identical rows of terraced houses stretching into the distance with only the unobtrusive shadow of a fox offering any movement. Squat black bins sat outside every house except Merlin’s and Arthur made a mental note to bully him into getting up early to sort that out.</p>
<p>Arthur’s breath caught in little puffs in the air, but the booze still fizzing through his system didn’t let the cold touch him as he waited for the distant shuffling to manifest into an actual human being. There was a sudden bang from and muffled swearing the other side of the door, signalling that Merlin had tried to slide down the bannister again. Arthur edged closer as familiar footsteps neared, his eyes zeroed in on where he expected the pale face to appear.</p>
<p>The door started to swing inwards and Arthur was moving, as quick as a sprung trap. He pushed his way in, earning a startled yelp as his hands grabbed at any bit of Merlin he could reach. Arthur shoved the door shut behind him and plastered himself along Merlin’s front, his arms looping around the narrow waist and squeezing. His mouth ended up against Merlin’s jaw and he left biting kisses in his wake until he found his way to lips.</p>
<p>Merlin, who seemed to have been trying to say something, gave up quickly as Arthur claimed his mouth, sinking into it so completely that Arthur wanted to purr. Hands dove into Arthur’s hair, tugging and tingling, angling the kiss in a way doomed to leave Arthur lightheaded. One of Arthur’s hands slid lower, kneading Merlin’s ass in a grip that was not at all teasing and one hundred per cent proprietary. His other hand snuck under Merlin’s t-shirt to rest against the warm smoothness of his back. Somewhere in Arthur’s brain it registered that Merlin was wearing pyjamas.</p>
<p>“Why the hell,” Arthur mumbled into a kiss as he propelled Merlin towards the nearest wall “aren’t you naked?”</p>
<p>“Because the last time I opened the door like that the postman gave me a really weird look.”</p>
<p>Arthur pressed Merlin to the wall and himself to Merlin.</p>
<p>“Don’t you dare make me laugh right now.”</p>
<p>“You taste like a brewery.”</p>
<p>“Shut up.”</p>
<p>“Aye aye, soldier.”</p>
<p>Arthur’s lips twitched and he retaliated with a viciously targeted bite to Merlin’s neck. Merlin stopped talking after that, his head thudding back to offer Arthur access that he took full advantage of. He let out a satisfied rumble at Merlin’s bitten off gasp, his hips jerking forward of their own volition.</p>
<p>
  <em>Merlin, Merlin, Merlin, Merlin.</em>
</p>
<p>Now there was grinding. There was grinding and hands and spit-slick lips and blue eyes dull with lust. Everything about Merlin was addictive and the more he gave the more Arthur wanted. Arthur could feel how alive Merlin was, how his stomach muscles clenched and how his legs flexed to push against him. Merlin’s breathing seemed to be everywhere around him, ragged and startlingly loud. It was more intoxicating than any amount of alcohol.</p>
<p>“Going to fuck you so hard,” Arthur thrust his bulge against Merlin’s thigh, grinning when Merlin groaned in agreement.</p>
<p>“Great, I’ll get some popcorn.”</p>
<p>Gwaine’s voice was a bucket of ice water.</p>
<p>Every muscle in Arthur’s back stiffened. He almost let out an actual growl of frustration but bit his tongue. Instead, he buried his face against Merlin’s neck and gripped his waist, thumbs digging into the lines of his hipbones.</p>
<p>He really, <em>really</em> didn’t want to deal with Gwaine right now.</p>
<p>“Don’t mind me, Princess, if you feel like putting on a show.”</p>
<p>Arthur tightened his hold on Merlin and screwed his eyes shut, breathing in the well-known scent to settle him.</p>
<p>“Gwaine,” Merlin’s tone was conversational “fuck off, won’t you?”</p>
<p>“Hey, this is a communal space, not my fault if Arthur can’t move his booty call to your room.”</p>
<p>Arthur could feel how Merlin’s jaw muscles clenched against the side of his head and knew Gwaine was being treated to Merlin’s best dirty look. Ultimately though, he conceded.</p>
<p>“Let’s head up, yeah?”</p>
<p>The words were muttered softly into Arthur’s ear. Arthur nodded against Merlin’s neck and reluctantly stepped away, braced for Gwaine’s gleeful expression.</p>
<p>No one had ever looked more punch-able than Gwaine did at that moment; grin broad, arms folded, one hip cocked to the side. Incredibly pleased with himself. Arthur might have stayed to glower at him for a while if Merlin hadn’t tugged on his hand, pulling him towards the thin flight of stairs that led to the second floor bedrooms.</p>
<p>Arthur hoped that in the dimness of the hallway, only lit by a lamp Elena had found at a charity shop, Gwaine wouldn’t be able to see the rather obvious way his jeans tented. Merlin’s hand was judiciously placed in front of his own crotch and he refused to meet Gwaine’s eye.</p>
<p>Gwaine twiddled his fingers cheerily as Arthur was dragged passed him. Arthur returned the gesture with two of his own.</p>
<p>Arthur had known from the start that Merlin moving in with Gwaine in their second year was going to lead to no end of aggravation for him. Of course, he hadn’t appreciated at the time exactly how annoying it would get, since Merlin had agreed to live with Elena, Gwen and Gwaine back in January, when Arthur’s ill-concealed infatuation with his friend was a strictly private torment. However, now that they were officially, gloriously dating, it meant that Arthur had to deal with Gwaine’s salacious remarks and dedicated cock blocking whenever he visited his boyfriend’s house. Of course, his own house, only ten minutes away, wasn’t much better, stocked as it was with Leon, Percy and Elyan.</p>
<p>There was a constant flow of foot traffic between the two houses, with Arthur going to study with Elena and Gwen, Gwaine crashing into the boys’ living room on match nights, Percy escaping Elyan’s thumping music and Merlin sleeping in Arthur’s bed as often as he did his own. Elena had a tendency to pop into the boys’ house as well, vaguely wandering in as if forgetting that she didn’t live there, and rarely leaving again without accidentally spoiling whatever was on the TV or spontaneously burning anything cooking in the kitchen. It was honestly inexplicable that she beat all of them so consistently on poker nights. Just to add to the bustle, Mithian and Lance were over more often than not, and Morgana turned up at both houses with off-putting regularity. Basically, peace and quiet was a myth and the only refuge was one of their bedrooms, and sometimes not even they were sacrosanct.</p>
<p>By the time Merlin had securely shut his door behind them, Arthur’s head was feeling a bit clearer, his blood cooling. He looked up at Merlin a little sheepishly as he sat on the bed.</p>
<p>“I guess Gwaine might have had a point about communal spaces.”</p>
<p>“Maybe” Merlin said, taking his place as close as physically possible to Arthur, his left thigh basically on top of Arthur’s right “doesn’t make him any less of a dick though. It’s because he’s got the room closest to the front door, it gives him too much power.”</p>
<p>Arthur hummed in agreement, leaning into Merlin and brushing his lips softly against his neck.</p>
<p>“Arthur?”</p>
<p>“Hmm?” Arthur nosed interestedly at a spot behind Merlin’s ear.</p>
<p>“Is everything alright?”</p>
<p>Arthur pulled back.</p>
<p>“Of course it is. Why wouldn’t it be?”</p>
<p>Lines appeared between Merlin’s eyes as he frowned.</p>
<p>“It’s just that you were looking forward to going out tonight, but it’s not even midnight yet and you’re here.”</p>
<p>“Like I said, I got bored.”</p>
<p>“And you sent me six hearts, Arthur. <em>Six</em>. The last time you sent me a heart it was next to a knife and an ambulance.”</p>
<p>Arthur shrugged.</p>
<p>“I’m drunk.”</p>
<p>“No you’re not.”</p>
<p>Merlin turned so he was facing Arthur properly. His leg started to slide off Arthur’s so Arthur grabbed his knee, his fingers digging into the soft material of his pyjamas.</p>
<p>“Come on, tell me. What’s going on?”</p>
<p>“It’s stupid.”</p>
<p>“I’m sure, but I still want to know.”</p>
<p>Arthur smiled against his will. He didn’t know why he was pretending to himself that he would be able to avoid saying this to Merlin, that he was able to deny Merlin anything.</p>
<p>“Ok, fine. But only because I’m absolutely ridiculously drunk,” he took a deep breath, “I missed you.”</p>
<p>“You missed me?” Merlin’s head cocked “we spent all yesterday together.”</p>
<p>“I know. I told you it was stupid.”</p>
<p>“That’s not what I meant” fingers brushed through the hair on Arthur’s forehead “go on, explain it to me.”</p>
<p>“Well, it’s just…Ok, we spent yesterday and most of this week together, but before that we didn’t see each other for almost two months.”</p>
<p>“You were in Asia with Leon.”</p>
<p>“I know, and it was great, but the only bit that sucked was not seeing you for so long, and it sucked a lot.”</p>
<p>There was something about the night, still and quiet outside the cosy haven of Merlin’s room. It was pulling the honesty out of him, almost without Arthur’s consent, leaving him uncomfortably exposed and hollow. Merlin was right there though, blinking blue at him with lips quirked encouragingly and hair mussed beyond reason, everything Arthur had spent two months aching for.</p>
<p>“It sucked for me too.” Merlin’s hand carded reassuringly through blond hair and his voice was gentle.</p>
<p>“Yeah, well when I was out tonight I was having fun until I was telling someone about the trip and suddenly that part of it, the sucky part, all just came rushing back to me and…I just didn’t feel like being around anyone who wasn’t you.”</p>
<p>Arthur paused a beat and screwed up his courage.</p>
<p>“I guess I’m not done missing you yet.”</p>
<p>There it was, ridiculous, stupid, sappy cards on the table. He could blame it on the alcohol as much as he wanted, but at the end of the day Merlin made him want to say things that he would have ridiculed from anyone else. It was a helpless kind of feeling; he was adrift and flailing, waiting for Merlin to reel him back to reality. Luckily, he never had to wait very long.</p>
<p>Merlin was silent for a moment, his fingers hesitating on Arthur’s head, and then he was clambering into his lap, straddling him and pushing at him with his whole body. He kissed Arthur fiercely, determinedly. He pulled Arthur’s hair like he was grounding him and then he slid his hands downwards, across his cheeks and neck and shoulders. This was different to the kisses they had shared in the hallway. It was slower, deeper and soothed something inside Arthur that he hadn’t even known needed soothing.</p>
<p>“You know I love you, right?”</p>
<p>Merlin’s voice was hoarse. His eyes had a suspicious shine to them as he leant back, putting enough space between them for him to look into Arthur’s soul. At least, that’s what it felt like. Arthur took a steadying breath.</p>
<p>“I know. I love you too. <em>A lot</em>.”</p>
<p>“That’s good. Would have been some seriously mixed messages otherwise.”</p>
<p>Arthur snorted, tugging Merlin back to him and resting his forehead against his collarbone. The silence between them was comfortable, tender if a silence could be so. Arthur focused on Merlin’s soft, even breaths, each exhalation tickling the back of his neck. He marvelled that he could have this, could turn up in the middle of the night without warning and fall into welcoming arms without reservation or hesitation. It made something warm and gooey spread right up from his stomach to every extremity.</p>
<p>Of course, Merlin always had to ruin it.</p>
<p>“You know,” Merlin began, “not that I don’t appreciate heartfelt declarations of endless adoration.”</p>
<p>Arthur pinched his side.</p>
<p>“But some promises were made earlier that are yet to be followed through with.”</p>
<p>For a moment Arthur wasn’t sure what he meant, but then Merlin rolled his hips down in a way that was anything but accidental. Arthur looked up with a smirk, a whole new kind of heat rushing through him.</p>
<p>“Just when we were having a nice moment.”</p>
<p>“I’m sure we’ll have another one later but, honestly Arthur, you barged into my quiet night to ravage me and I feel distinctly un-ravaged at the moment.”</p>
<p>“Guess we’ll have to remedy that.”</p>
<p>Merlin smiled like a sin.</p>
<p>“Well, if you insist.”</p>
<p>How was a club ever supposed to compete?</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
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